Feeling that you’re ready for detox is a remarkable push forward toward a better life. For your first steps into sobriety, it’s important to involve the right professionals to help you get to your goals. While an alcohol detox at home may seem like a viable option, there are many dangers in trying to handle this critical phase without professional help. Detox at home can lead to many problems, the biggest of which are relapse and death.
Why Supervised Detox Is Better than Alcohol Detox at Home
You may believe that your drug or alcohol abuse has been a personal choice, meaning you can stop through alcohol detox at home at any time on your own. But when you consider your recent past of addiction with clarity, ask yourself one question: If you can stop on your own, why haven’t you already?
In reality, experiencing withdrawal or even basic anxiety over stopping your substance use means that you are physically dependent. This is the very definition of addiction. Addiction requires professional guidance and support, just as diabetes, asthma, heart disease or cancer require medical help for hope of a healthy future.
Withdrawal is often dangerous. While many drugs can be overcome without dangerous side effects of detox, there are other dangers that can be triggered by even slight side effects. As examples:
- Choking on vomit, a form of asphyxiation
- Stopped breathing
- Cardiac arrest
- Hypothermia, a dangerous drop in body temperature
- Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar leading to seizures
- Severe dehydration that can cause seizures, brain damage and death
- Suicidal notions from the mental and emotional stress of detox or underlying conditions
Symptoms That Supervised Detox Can Treat But Alcohol Detox at Home Can’t
Supervised detox provides a level of support and comfort that patients can’t receive in their home environment. Professionally licensed staff are able to ease the side effects of withdrawal 24/7. This is often a substantial workload that family members and other loved ones can’t provide at home.
Symptoms of withdrawal from addiction can vary according to the substances long used. Some symptoms may require medical help through medication management. A quality detox center is able to provide these medications as necessary without risk of secondary overuse. Medical detox also ensures patients remain well hydrated and nutritionally supported toward more comfortable cleansing of their body.
Some of the symptoms that medical detox can help with include:
- Shakiness
- Anxiety
- Sleep issues
- Abdominal cramping
- Nausea
- Seizures
- Sweating
- Delirium tremens
- Hallucinations
- Heart failure
- Body pain
- Increased hunger
- Irritability
- Chills
- Severe depression
- Diarrhea
- Paranoia
- Intense cravings
- Suicidal thoughts
Serenity House Detox in Florida Provides Safe, Supervised Detox
Serenity House Detox is a Joint Commission-accredited and fully licensed detox program with two locations in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Serenity House Detox provides patients going through withdrawal with the highest standard of support, care, guidance and comfort during this important step into recovery.
If you or your loved one are ready for recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, call Serenity House Detox at 866-396-4129. The help you need to start a new life in recovery is available now.
